Mr. Trunnell

been rolled up, as it had begun to slat heavily against the masts with the heave from a long, quick swell that ran rapidly from the southward. The running gear was not new, and Trunn

aid the little mate. "Blast him if

skipper?

' each time he's gettin' worse an' worse. T

sily across the deck to the poop rail.

to the ma

hen came crowding aft and began to cast o

o see what would happen, a little sailor by the name of Johnson, who had a face like a monkey's and legs set wide apa

old cock's drunk, an' we ain't here to be ha

t, but came down from the poop and asked for Trunnell and myself. We

er of a ship should blow them all off to drinks. Blast me, Trunnell, I'd 'a' thought you'd get them into better discipline. It's come to a fine state o' things when the whole cre

w," said Mr. Trunnell,

hird mate's gone be

herself floating around this ocean," said the old man. "You

ve mulatto, springing ou

s yo',

" asked Thompson,

d then suggested that a bottle of the ginger pop w

ng," cried Thompson, turning upon him with h

what I drinks or else I

ed me what I'd ha

in mock gravity. "You drinks what

l do for me," I answered. "I'd rather take

h, and then sat motionless, looking from one to the o

r. Trunnell a drink o' ginger pop, or milk, if he prefers it, and then, steward,

hat's your

s a priest aboard here,

t I ken find out, sah. Shall

see first if there's a priest, an' if you find one you can bring me a pint or so o' holy water. If it's too s

in our drinks and informed the skipper loudly that

Thompson. "I'll wait till it rai

rough "good night." Thompson arose and passed through th

els under. The southerly swell seemed to roll quickly as if there were something behind it, and the topsails slatted fore and aft with loud flaps as they backed and filled with the motion. It was a bad night for wearing out gear, and I was glad Trunnell had rolled up the lighter canvas. Chafing gear had been scarce aboard, and n

re channels and came slowly aft. I looked harder at the black surface below me and tried to see what caused the disturbance. In an instant I beheld a huge shadow, blacker than the surrounding water, outlined faintly wi

ht how ghastly would be the ending of any one who should get overboard that night. The sudden splash, the warm water about the body, and the heads of the

f arsenic I should put into a chunk of

as supposed to be able to see well enough, I had taught the men of my watch to sing o

were raising fast, and I stepped below a moment to see the glass. It was down to twenty-eight. Going on deck at once, I bawled for the watch to clew down the main-topgallantsail. In

topsail!

he work on so quiet a night. The yelling of the men at the braces coupled with the tramping aroused C

rt without canvas on the ship? Split me, but I thought you knew how to sail a boat when you signed on as mate. Don't come any of these grandmother tricks on me, hey? I won't have it. Don't make a fo

a work. Then came the order for the t'gallantsail, and by the time that w

nk into a deeper gloom afterward, but in another moment we heard the distant boom of thunder. Before we could get the topgallantsail set there

nds!" I

, and the rattling of gear. Trunnell was on deck in a moment, and as he rushed aft I went for the main rigging with the intention of saving the upper topsail if I could. It was quick work getting up those ratlines, but even as I went I heard a deepening murmur from the southward. The yard came down by the

hward swelled rapidly in volume. I glanced into the blackness, and as I did so there was a blinding flash. My eyes seemed t

eel. Hard up, f

he strain and laid us slowly over amid a thunder

y at a terrific rate with the shock of the cracking topsail. I did likewise, and noticed that the canvas was bellying forward, which showed that we were not aback. If we were, I knew our li

o topsails and fore topmast staysail were holding, but between the flashes the upper canvas melted away like a puff of steam, the ragged ends flying and thrashing into long ribbons to leeward. Three me

. Looking below, the sea appeared as white as milk in the ghastly light, with the ship's outline now dimly discernible in contrast. I breathed a prayer that the line was fast amidships and slid down. There was a terrific ripping instantly overhead, and I knew t

up the steps. The wind nearly swept me from my feet, but I managed to crawl aft

d the mate in my ear. "Noth

d a couple of men,"

ow make out the maintopsail, dimly, from where I stood, and the outline of the hull forward. Evidently the fore lower topsail was holding still. Jackson, who was tall and strong, and who was an American by adoption, was put to the lee wheel, as his knowledge of English made him quick t

led the men aft to the poop, and

ntly after she had payed off. The water was roaring white astern, and the wind blew so hard that it was impossible to face it for more than a

must be done well after the mate had given orders. He was apparently perfectly sober now, and as cool as though on the beach. It was evident the man feared nothing and could

he lee rail, had washed that on the starboard side into long tangles which would take hours to clear. I stumbled over a mass of rope which must have been the fore topsail brace. I saw a figure moving through the gloom along the bulwarks a

as running rapidly. The ship was so deep that I knew she would not keep her deck clear

clear along the top of the rail in the waist, and went forward a g

rails, stanchions, boats, rigging, all in the furious white rush. The Pirate settled under the load and seemed to stop p

nder water, save the top of the forward house. I looked up into the roaring void above me and breathed a parting prayer, for it

llant rail and waterways. A sea struck her so heavily that the larger portion of it went thundering clear across her forty feet of deck, landing bodily to leeward as though the ship were below the surface. I could hear a bawling coming faintly from the poop and knew Trunnell was trying to heave her to. Something fluttered from the mizzen rigging and disappeared into th